Python Sneaks Up on, Bites 15-Month-Old in N.C. Park

[themikester]

FOXNews.com - Python Sneaks Up on, Bites 15-Month-Old in N.C. Park - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 15-month-old boy suffered minor injuries when he was attacked by a 4-foot ball python in a Mecklenburg County park here.
Christine Abdelmonem had taken her son, Adam, to get a better look at some ducks waddling nearby in Freedom Park on Monday. As she lowered the boy to the ground, she felt a tug and saw the snake wrapped around his leg.
She screamed for help and two maintenance workers rushed over. One hit the nonvenomous snake with a shovel before trapping it in a bucket, said Karla Thornhill of Mecklenburg Park and Recreation.
Adam was treated at Carolinas Medical Center for bite marks on his leg.
"When I pulled it off, he was fine," Abdelmonem said. "I wasn't."
John Calchera, a pet store owner in nearby Pineville, took in the constrictor snake. He thinks it may have been abandoned by a pet owner and that it won't survive being beaten.
"It's a totally harmless thing," he said. "Why attack a harmless thing?"

I bet there is more to this story. I find it hard to believe the BP "snuck up" on the kid. Unless he had a diaper full of rats

[Genevieve]

LOL very nice. I read that the snake is recovering at a local pet store after being sent to the hospital to make sure it wasn't venomous. The kid was given an IV and sent home with a clean bill of health.

[Xeikeness]

*suffers another drop in IQ*

It frustrates me that people are forced to interact with snakes, when most people don't even know the warning signs of a dog that is ready to bite. Ten to one that kid was tromping all over the BP with his fat little feet while she wasn't looking because she was too busy with her attention elsewhere.

And how could a BP sneak up on someone in a -park-? If she doesn't notice a four foot brown and black snake laying right where she's about to set her 15 month old son down on(provided she's telling the truth) how many piles of duck poop did she set him down on?

It doesn't take a genius to notice a 4 foot snake at your feet.

"Felt a tug" my keester.

[LukaTisus]

This story was already posted on here a few days ago. Still, I doubt the woman was paying attention and probably making up some story to cover her own butt for her negligence. I mean seriously, most parks have nicely clipped grass.. so I doubt the grass around the pond would've been tall enough to conceal a ball python that size.

What saddens me is most of the comments I seen on the news story from the other site were blasphemous. Saying the snake 'deserved' the beating and that the petstore owner was insane to say that the snake was harmless because it tried to 'eat the kid'.

*Shakes her head*

[themikester]

The world is full of idiots....I just wish I didn't have to meet ALL of them.

[Xeikeness]

I hate how stupid people are about things pertaining to snakes.

All we can do about it today, is teach children the TRUTH about snakes and reptiles. That's why I do what I do with schools. From what I'm told, the teachers at the schools I frequent have just to mention the possibility of me coming in to class, and they fall into perfect behaviour for the next week hoping their good behaviour will bring me in. I have stacks and stacks of thank-you notes from kids, and I get letters from kids who've never even met me asking me their reptile questions.

These are kids who are going to encounter snakes when they're adults, and it will be so neat for them, not filthy and dangerous. These are kids who as adults, are going to read stories like this and be sad, and know that it wasn't the snakes fault. They'll remember the big ball python they held in their grade school class that stuck it's tongue up their nose, and they're going to know that it wasn't "trying to eat the kid".

[pcncb]

Originally Posted by themikester

I find it hard to believe the BP "snuck up" on the kid. Unless he had a diaper full of rats

Gives a new meaning to a rats butt!

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[hornydragon]

at least nothing happend', it could be worst....

[jimijaw]

This just sickens me!!!! Next thing you know somebodys 3 foot long corn snake is going to try and eat a family pet (dog)! Ugh! people!!!! Jimi

	Corn Snake The Corn Snake or Red Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata) is a species of Rat Snake.